Julia Mecham is a lifelong Jazz fan who, after not making the NBA herself, became a guitar teacher. She also moonlights as a wedding singer, but often risks her profession by cheering too loudly for the Jazz. You can follow her internet voice on Twitter @Julia_Mecham.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder is sometimes described as intense. His terrifying glare, fit for the Halloween season, is only one of the reasons why. In 2014-2015, Snyder’s first season as an NBA coach, we saw him vary his approach with his young team. One game he emphatically suggested they “wake up”, and during another he stared at them in silence for an entire timeout. Jazz guard Rodney Hood said his coach’s temperament has shifted slightly since then, “He’s… I wouldn’t say relaxed, but he’s a lot more confident in us.” And for good reason. The Jazz have improved under Snyder, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. Other basketball minds are impressed with Snyder’s work and they don’t hesitate to gush a bit.

“He’s brilliant,” says Kobe Bryant, who includes Snyder in his club of self-described “basketball nerds.” The two got to know each other when Snyder was an assistant coach for The Lakers from 2011-2012. Bryant said Snyder was constantly picking his brain about defensive schemes and the triangle offense.

Jeff Van Gundy, former NBA coach for over 10 years, also had high praise for the Jazz coach in a conversation with Zach Lowe, “Quin Snyder may be the most, or one of the most, underrated coaches in the league.”

In a recent poll ESPN NBA writers acknowledge Snyder’s coaching abilities too. He received the second-most votes for the 2016-2017 Coach of the Year prediction with five, behind Boston Celtics’s coach, Brad Stevens, who received six votes.

What makes a coach good, anyway? Wins versus losses? Development? Curated team culture and identity? There are so many factors that contribute to a team’s success, but often when the wins don’t come as quickly as expected the coach is the first thing to go. Whether or not this is the right move is often debated. Regardless, a coach is usually most often judged by their team’s win-loss record. Put simply, if you win more than you lose, you stay on. Let’s take a look at what Coach Quin’s win-loss column says about him thus far.

The Race to Break .500

Jazz fans have sometimes unfairly expected Snyder to produce longtime-tenured-Jerry-Sloan-type results in his brief time with the team. We forget how spoiled the Jazz were to have that caliber of coach take over right as Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone emerged as all-stars coming into their prime. We also forget that this was not Sloan’s first stop on the NBA block. He spent a few years coaching in Chicago as well. It isn’t fair to judge Snyder’s first two years as an NBA head coach against Sloan’s fourth and fifth years, when he landed the gig as head coach of the Jazz. Call me crazy, but I am going to compare Sloan’s and Snyder’s first two years as NBA head coaches and include up-and-comer Brad Stevens in the mix too. The comment section will probably blow up if I don’t say this so, here it goes: I’m not suggesting Quin Snyder is a better coach than Jerry Sloan. I know, I’m writing in Jerry Sloan for president too. I think we can all agree that having only coached for two years, Quin Snyder’s sample size is teeny tiny and Jerry Sloan is a legend (see his career win percentage below). That said, Snyder’s early results look good.

Kind of surprising, right? Among very good company, Quin Snyder leads the race in the first two years of his NBA coaching career with a win percentage of 47.6%. Jerry Sloan is close behind with 45.7% as Brad Stevens brings up the rear with 39.6%. Again, lots of factors playing into these numbers, but it’s interesting to see how it shakes out. After two years coaching Snyder also has the edge over Stevens in career win percentage with 47.6% over Stevens’ 45.9% over three years. What’s not obvious here, though, is the third-year leap Stevens had with the Celtics last season, finishing with a 48-34 record. That kind of dramatic improvement makes him an excellent candidate for Coach of the Year if he can keep the upward trend alive.

If the Jazz notch 46 wins this season Snyder’s career win percentage will break .500. Stevens needs 52 wins to get above a career .500. Early projections say both the Jazz and Celtics can do it. ESPN’s Zach Lowe is high on the Jazz, predicting they will get 50 wins this season. Van Gundy, on the other hand, says “that’s a lot of wins, 50 is a lot of wins…” I think the Jazz can get 50 this year, but they’ll need to find some finish. Before the season started I couldn’t fathom that any of those wins would come against the Spurs or Warriors, but the Jazz have already proven me wrong there, so who knows. The wild offseason shuffle has me confident they can stay competitive with just about any team.

How is Quin Snyder doing and what else will he need to do to secure those wins?

Buy-In

During Snyder’s first couple years coaching the Jazz they’ve been known to hang with the Warriors one night and then get blown out by a lottery team the next night. After these drastic differences in play the media would inevitably ask Snyder about starting lineup changes or inquire what detail could have gone better. Ever attentive to detail, he would reply thoughtfully and then emphasize that the team, staff and fans needed to “trust the process,” himself included. No player has been asked to trust the process quite like Gordon Hayward. After years of being the first offensive option, sometimes the only option, he has been frustrated at times. In Snyder’s system he has found help in Hood, Favors and Burks, and now he has the help of Hill and Joe Johnson too. Snyder says he doesn’t like to put a “ceiling” on his expectations for his team, but also wants them to realize they have to stay humble. Hayward has decidedly bought-in to this mindset.

On his blog he recently wrote, “We’ve all gotten better… and we’re all improving each year. Some media members are coming around and they think maybe this might be our year.But for me, we still haven’t done anything. Nothing has changed. We have a lot to prove to people, and that’s the feeling across our team. We still have a long ways to go.”

The front office has literally bought-in, locking up Snyder two years early with a contract extension through 2021, a rare move in the revolving-door-style NBA. More than a mere gesture, this extensions shows that top brass like what Quin Snyder is doing and they want to assure the players he’ll be around. They have also provided more options for Snyder’s arsenal with the addition team-first veterans Joe Johnson, George Hill, and Boris Diaw, who are catching the vision early. This gives Coach Q even more confidence, but, as always, he doesn’t lose his intensity.

“I was pretty animated after our last preseason game,” Snyder said, “because I felt like we weren’t paying attention to a lot of the little things defensively. I think some of our veteran guys, to their credit, are letting me coach them.”

And the players appreciate the coaching. Derrick Favors said, “Quin did a good job coming in and stressing defense, stressing playing with pace, (looking to) pass. Basically he made all of us just really buy into moving the ball and sharing the ball, playing unselfishly, and on the defensive end just helping each other out and always having each other’s back and just playing as a team.”

Good defense speaks volumes to Snyder. It’s a big part of his coaching decisions. Just ask poor ol’ Trey Burke about that. Yet defense means more to Snyder than simply stopping the opposing team.

“When a team plays defense together well, it’s an indication they trust each other,” Snyder told former Jazz CEO, Greg Miller.

Earl Watson’s Suns are using high fives to measure team unity this season, but defensive rating may be a better unity metric for the Jazz. Since Snyder took the helm, the Jazz have had stretches of excellent defense, peaking after the All-Star break in 2014-2015, with the league’s top defensive rating. They have yet to see those kinds of numbers again, but will need that kind of lock-down defense to close out games that got away in seasons past.

Communication

A big part of such an effective defense is talking on the court. Snyder has made it clear nothing makes him more upset than his team not talking to each other. Joe Ingles admitted that two years ago, he and Steve Novak were probably the loudest on the court, mostly because other members of the team are more naturally reserved, especially Favors and Hayward. Since then, the Jazz have lost Novak, but have gained a chatty Boris Diaw, who has already had a notable impact on Rudy Gobert’s spacing and confidence on offense by communicating where he needs him to be to make the assist. George Hill has also taken his veteran role as a strong defender and mentor to Dante Exum, while Hayward and Favors have gotten more comfortable communicating. Snyder does a good job of explaining roles to his guys and making his expectations clear.

Per former Jazz point guard, Trey Burke, “We know his standards. We know what he expects on and off the court in practice and in games.”

He expects constant development, but he doesn’t leave players to their own devices. At his core Snyder is a development coach, which has made him a great fit for the Jazz right now. Most practices Snyder is in a t-shirt and shorts ready to demonstrate. Hayward and Exum say Snyder has personally helped them refine their footwork. A “player-friendly” coach, as described by Jeff Withey, Snyder has never been afraid to play D-League guys their first day with the team and makes it a point to individually encourage players who have an off night. It’s no wonder they listen to him.

Once the floor of The Viv is alive with chatter and the Jazz’s defensive rating dips below 100 again, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of this look, a lot more W’s in the books—maybe a Coach of the Year trophy too.

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Julia Mecham

Julia Mecham is a lifelong Jazz fan who, after not making the NBA herself, became a guitar teacher. She also moonlights as a wedding singer, but often risks her profession by cheering too loudly for the Jazz. You can follow her internet voice on Twitter @Julia_Mecham.

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

Three years ago, I posted my theory on a coach’s timeline for defensive influence and stamp on a team. I thought it might be interesting to dig into some data and see if the theory continues to pull some weight, or if the ever-increasing coaching carousel in the NBA is rendering my theory irrelevant. What do the numbers show, and is there any sort of correlation with a fresh coach and a new defensive scheme? Let’s take a look.

Quin Snyder

Since this is a Jazz site, we’ll start with Quin Snyder. The year before Snyder arrived in Utah, the Tyrone Corbin-led Jazz were dead last in defensive efficiency (they’d been at or near the bottom during Corbin’s tenure). While, yes, those teams featured Al Jefferson in the paint, Steve Clifford was able to find a way to make a Jefferson-anchored defense a pretty solid defensive team, so the Jazz’s defensive deficiencies during the 2013-2014 season can’t be placed at Jefferson’s feet. Corbin’s scheme will have to take the bulk of the blame. In Snyder’s first season with the Jazz, the Jazz ended up as the 12th-ranked defensive team in the league, thanks to a meteoric rise in the rankings once Enes Kanter was traded and The Stifle Tower—aka Rudy Gobert—was unleashed on the league. In Quin Snyder’s second season with the Jazz, the 2015-2016 season, the Jazz rose further to the 7th-ranked defensive team in the league, even amidst injuries to Gobert and Derrick Favors where they spent significant time on the sidelines.

Since we already brought him up, let’s dig a little bit deeper. Steve Clifford has now been the head coach of the Charlotte Horcats for 3 years. For the two years prior to his arrival in Charlotte, the Horcats were the 30th-ranked team defensively in the league. Dead last. Then, in 2013-2014, Clifford was brought on board and, with a team lead by Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson, Gerald Henderson, Josh McRoberts, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, catapulted to the 6th-ranked spot. I still scratch my head as to how that was possible, but Clifford pulled off something quite remarkable there. The Horcats have kept their defensive ranking in the top 10 in subsequent years (9th in both 2014-2015 and 2015-2016).

Theory status: This qualifies as quite a speedster version with a one-year defensive adjustment, so the theory itself is a little wobbly.

Brad Stevens

Replacing Doc Rivers in Boston meant filling some pretty big shoes, especially considering Doc’s Boston teams were often in the Top 10 defensively—2nd in 2011 and 6th in 2012. With both coaching and roster turnover, Stevens started from scratch and, in his first season as Boston’s coach, the Celtics were the 20th-ranked defensive team in the league. But after having a year under his belt, he guided the Celtics to a #12 ranking in his second year, and a #4 ranking in his third. Could this be more validation for the theory that it takes a defensive coach some time to implement and refine defensive principles for a team? Perhaps.

Theory status: Pretty solid.

Jason Kidd

Here’s an example that might be an outlier, or might show that a coach who has a great defensive year could be a fluke, or that personnel might matter more than we want it to, at times. Kidd, in his first season as the Bucks head coach, brought a team that was ranked 29th defensively prior to his arrival all the way up to #2. However, in his second year as a head coach, the Bucks plummeted to 22nd defensively. Was it a case of a sophomore slump? Personnel changes that were drastic, trying to incorporate Michael Carter Williams and a rehabbing, Jabari Parker? Was it a change in scheme? Whatever the case, there’s no clear trend here to show that a defensive scheme requires a year or two to implement before it’s solid.

Theory status: Doesn’t support it at all. Does it invalidate the theory entirely? I sure hope not!

Mike Budenholzer

Budenholzer is another interesting case where the Atlanta wasn’t a poor defensive team when he started (ranked 6th and 10th in the two seasons prior to his arrival), and his first season showed some kinks as he implemented his defensive scheme: the Hawks ranked 14th defensively in 2013-2014. With no known lockdown defenders and no off-the-charts rim protectors, Budenholzer somehow crafted a system that rose from #14 to #7 to #2 It’s quite an impressive feat. Will the system still serve Atlanta well if their roster changes over this offseason? Time will tell.

Theory status: Solidifies the theory, though pushes it towards a three-year theory.

Overall, looking at rankings and how teams have risen or fallen based on coaching and personnel changes has been fascinating. It might require another look to see what else can be uncovered. But here’s one thing I do know: Quin Snyder is a great coach to help develop this team’s defensive mindset, and we’ve seen that stamp on this team in a short period of time.

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Laura Thompson

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife, Elizabeth, have some amazing children--four girls and two boys. Voted "Most Likely to Replace Jerry Sloan" in high school.

In a thumbs up move, the Jazz signed head coach Quin Snyder to a multi-year extension. (Rick Bowmer/Associated Press)

In the summer of 2014, the Utah Jazz were facing a daunting off-season. For the first time in literally decades, the team was encountering something very unfamiliar: a hiring search for a new head coach.

With Tyrone Corbin’s contract not being renewed, there were mixed emotions in the air. Uncertainty, excitement and curiosity, to name a few. General Manager Dennis Lindsey and his team embarked on an exhaustive and lengthy journey, interviewing numerous candidates. By many accounts, the Utah front office visited with numerous coaches, and for six weeks or so, many names cropped up in the rumor mill. Some established coaches like Jeff Van Gundy, Lionel Hollins and Alvin Gentry were tweeted about. There were a few internal candidates in Alex Jensen and Brad Jones. Highly respected assistant coaches like Adrian Griffin and Jim Boylen were discussed, as were basketball minds without any coaching experience — such as one Steve Kerr,

When the dust settled, one man stood out to Lindsey and company: Quin Snyder. On June 6, 2014, the team made it official. They had their man in. With a long basketball resume and a reputation for player development, they inked a young coach eager to help lead a equally young Jazz roster back to respectability and eventually contention.

And now they have their man for the foreseeable future. On Friday, the Jazz announced a multi-year extension for Snyder — a move that is understandably being lauded by the national and local media, as well at the team’s fanbase. It is definitely a fine way to kickoff what will inevitably be an interesting and potentially crucial off-season for Utah.

So what does this extension mean for the Jazz moving forward? Many things.

First, it shows the team’s absolute trust in Snyder… trust he absolutely earned through hard work, dedication and passion for the game. In two short seasons, Snyder has reshaped the team, doubling the wins along the way. He has the team knocking on the postseason door, something they should enter next season, barring more damaging injuries. Many view the Jazz as a team with immense potential, with Snyder being the heart of the operation.

Snyder is a player’s coach, one who is constantly teaching. Before, during and after the game, Snyder can always be seen visiting with a player one-on-one, sharing counsel, instruction and even the occasional constructive criticism session. Under his tutelage, established players like Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors brought their games to a new level, becoming near All-Stars. Likewise, he helped accelerate the development for Rudy Gobert and Rodney Hood, two players who quickly have proven better than most experts prognosticated. Snyder has helped create a roster of promising players that many other envy.

Even though injuries plagued them all season, Utah almost always gave great effort. While the youthful team faced some growing pains — closing out close games, turnovers, etc — effort was rarely a reason for a loss. Snyder motivated his team to lay it out there, and more often than not, it did. The players wanted to do well for their coach. From the players’ comments to the way they carry themselves on the court, it is clear that Snyder has his team’s respect and admiration.

Once one of the league’s poorest defending teams two years ago, the Jazz now are one of its best. Snyder has instilled within his players a defensive mentality and persona. The interior defense is stifling and imposing, while the others are scrappy and hustle. While the offense is still a work in progress, Utah’s defense is already elite and will be even more potent when Dante Exum returns. This will unquestionably be a trademark of the Quin Snyder Jazz teams.

Second, Snyder’s extension speaks volumes to the Jazz’s ownership and management and the value the franchise places on stability. In just the past six months, coaches like Kevin McHale in Houston, David Blatt in Cleveland and Frank Vogel in Indiana have been unceremoniously let go. McHale was off the heels of a surprising Western Conference Finals appearance, which was quickly forgotten in the midst of a struggling start this year. Blatt was one of the most successful first-year coaches in NBA history, but was ousted — while his Cavs were the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. And Vogel was very good in Indiana, getting the most out of the rosters he was deal each and every season. In each case, things like needing a new voice were mentioned, at the cost of stability. Some teams change coaches the way one changes clothes.

Not the Jazz and the Miller family. Going back to Frank Layden and Jerry Sloan, the team values continuity and with reports that Snyder’s pact carries him through 2020-21, the same will apply to Snyder. When you find a coach that fits well and has a lot of potential, it is wise to go long-term. He would be a very desired commodity had his contract elapsed. This loyalty is something that affects other team’s perceptions of the Jazz, which could factor in future interactions.

Third, because of his relationships with his team, having Snyder in the fold for many more years could help Utah’s efforts with retaining their core players. Hayward’s free agency next summer looms large for many. The chances are high that he will opt out; in fact, it is a no-brainer. That said, if the Jazz continue to progress and take another solid leap forward next season, knowing Snyder will be his coach could go a long way in keeping Hayward in Salt Lake City. Throughout their time together, Snyder has had his star’s back. That is something to note. The same applies for contract discussions with Gobert, Favors, Exum and Hood the next few off-seasons.

Snyder’s reputation could also help the Jazz’s pitch to other free agents. Many players he previously coached — Kobe Bryant, Paul Millsap, DeMarre Carroll — have heaped praise on him. When they were reunited, Shelvin Mack talked about how much he loves playing for Snyder. Mack went on to play the best ball of his career. The way Snyder has helped mold his young guys is something people notice. He is respected. He has also assembled a very solid coaching staff that is integral in any success he experiences.

Lastly, this positive news is a great way to commence what will undoubtedly be a busy, eventful and crucial summer. With four draft picks, a lot of cap space and decisions to make about some players, Lindsey will have his hands full. The moves that transpire over the next five months could have lasting impact on the short and long-term prospects for the team. Having a coach in place for the long haul not only helps now, but it provides security and relief.

Two years ago, Snyder was the Jazz’s man. That still is the case today and will be for many years to come.

Author information

David J Smith

Besides writing for Salt City Hoops, David contributes to the Utah Jazz coverage for the Deseret News and has written for the Utah Jazz website and Hoopsworld.com (now Basketball Insiders). He graduated from BYU and works for LDS Philanthropies. He and his incredibly patient wife, Elizabeth, have some amazing children--four girls and two boys. Voted "Most Likely to Replace Jerry Sloan" in high school.

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

Last time, we covered some of Quin Snyder’s strengths, of which I feel there are many. This round covers a few of the negatives. While these negatives signify areas of improvement for Snyder from my perspective, I think they carry a lower overall weight than many of the areas discussed last time.

Over-playing veterans/odd combinations: B-

I can’t presume to speak for all Jazz fans, but discussions I’ve had lead me to think that a lot of Jazz fans like a majority of Quin Snyder’s rotations. But there does seem to be one pairing that draws a lot of ire from Jazz fans—and with good reason: Trey Lyles and Trevor Booker. It almost appears as a recipe for disaster, asking for the opposing team’s bigs to waltz into the paint and score at will against an undersized forward in Booker, and a still-learning-on-the-curve rookie in Lyles. The Booker-Lyles pairing has fared poorly so far this season; luckily it’s been trotted out less as the season has gone on—and the numbers for the pairing have improved a bit recently—but it’s still one of those moments in a game where I want to pull my hair out a little bit.

Another wonderment: what happened to Jeff Withey’s minutes? Didn’t he do enough when he was given minutes to show that he’s a good defensive anchor that can keep the defensive intensity up, even when Gobert was on the bench? His play adds a flavor to the Jazz that they’re often lacking when Booker-Lyles are in.

Timeouts: C

We’ve seen a handful of games now where Snyder has seemingly burned through his timeouts during less-critical parts of the game—all in an effort to teach as much as he can in the moment, I’m sure—but it’s come back to haunt them at the ends of games when the Jazz are within striking distance, but are out of timeouts. It’s been a head-scratching flaw, to be sure, though I think I can understand some of the method behind the madness. But in a league where coaches often keep one or two timeouts available just in case they need it at the end of the game, it can seem jarring when you realize the Jazz don’t have any timeouts to spare.

Whining at referees: B+

This is one where I think it can be both a bad thing and a good thing. Hopefully you’ve already caught Andy Larsen’s piece on KSL about the Two-Minute Reports and the Jazz on the wrong side of a lot of calls at the end of close games. It’s been both an unfortunate and a frustrating pattern to watch throughout the season, especially with some bad calls so profoundly affecting the momentum or score of the game. Andy discussed, in his article, how the Jazz are going through the appropriate channels in order to ensure the league is aware of their plight.

But what of the in-game, in-the-moment frustrations? How should those best be aired? If you’re Doc Rivers and the Clippers, it’s whining as constantly and incessantly and annoyingly as possible But Quin Snyder himself has taken the opposite approach, and seemingly has asked his team to do the same: keep whining and complaining at the refs to a minimum.

I like this approach initially: it keeps the focus on internal forces, things the players and the coaches can control: their play, their decisions, their process-oriented progress. They’re not going to waste any time or energy yapping at a ref while a play goes on on the other end of the court. I wish I could say, “They’re not getting distracted by bad calls” but I think that’s asking too much of anyone, especially given how some of the calls have gone this season. It’s natural to be distracted, given the circumstances. But I like the message that Quin is sending: focus on you; focus on the team.

Having said that, occasionally giving refs an earful or two can help influence a call later in the game, or can show your team that you’re willing to go to bat for them and maybe cost yourself a technical in the process. That might go a long way.

Stare/glare: A+

Has any coach in recent memory had as many gif-worthy moments as Snyder? From the “Wake UP!” mini-tirade to any of the other intense glares from the bench, sometimes watching the bench and Snyder’s intensity ramp from a 10 to an 11 is as entertaining as the game itself

What makes the stare/glare so effective is that Quin is able to somehow balance that intensity while caring deeply about his players and their improvement, both on and off the court. I’ve been struck by the number of times players have talked about how Coach cares about the details, whether it’s footwork on the court, or family life off the court. Remember when Hayward said that his first dinner with Snyder involved very little basketball discussion, and was mostly about life and family?

When there’s a strong bond of friendship, that stare/glare can be effective.

Overall, I’m thrilled with Quin Snyder. I think he’s a coach who demands as much from himself and his assistants as he does from his players, but he balances that with a good dose of humility and high emotional intelligence. I’m really excited to see how he develops as a coach over the next several years. If his trajectory matches some of the players we’ve seen who’ve developed under his tutelage, we’re in for a thrilling ride.

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Laura Thompson

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

We’re nearing the half-way mark for this season and we’ve had another surprising coaching change. We’ve seen some very interesting facts being tossed around as part of the game of coaching musical chairs. Here are a few:

Marc Stein:

Since Greg Popovich became coach of the Spurs during the 1996-97 season, there have been 221 coaching changes in the NBA. TWO-TWENTY-ONE!

From Jody Genessey, of the Deseret News:

Quin Snyder is now the 17th-longest tenured coach in the 30-team NBA. This is his second year on the job in Utah.

“I think continuity is something that in a lot of professions may be undervalued. I’m fortunate to have a real cohesive group.” – Quin Snyder

It’s pretty remarkable how many coaching changes there have been over the last few years. Given the coaching carousel going on, I thought we’d grade Quin Snyder on his performance so far, since there have 18 months under the belt. We’ve seen how the team went into the offseason, how they prepared during the offseason, and we’ve seen a team battle injuries and significant adversity. How have they responded?

With the caveat and disclaimer that truly understanding the effect and impact of a coach is a difficult business, this is by no means an all-inclusive list or a definitive list. But it might help frame a discussion among Jazz fans: How has Quin Snyder done in his first year and a half at the helm of an NBA team?

Defense: A-

Coach Snyder was given the same three D’s by Dennis Lindsey as Tyrone Corbin: Defense, Discipline, and Development. Though many point to the trade of Enes Kanter last year as the catalyst for the Jazz’s defensive turnaround, the insertion of Dante Exum into the starting lineup was when the defensive numbers started shifting. Trading Enes Kanter and allowing Rudy Gobert to gobble up those big-man minute did accelerate the process, and the team went on a defensive tear, playing historically good defense for the last 30 or so games of the season. The Jazz were 19-10 last year after the Enes Kanter trade, and allowed 89.0 points per game after the All-Star Break (94.9 on the season). While those numbers haven’t held this season, it’s understandable given that Exum has missed the entire season, and both Gobert and Favors have missed significant time due to injury. Those injuries, unfortunately, are ruining my “Two-Year Defensive Coach Theory.”

Development: A-

Obviously, since development is a long-term development process, this is To Be Determined, but I think early results are good. Before the draft, and even after, we were often told that Dante Exum was going to be a poor defender. Snyder clarified that by saying that he’d just never been asked to play defense before, but he taught him fundamentals and put him in a position to be a very good defender—rare for a rookie point guard in the NBA! Rodney Hood is doing things as a second-year player that I wasn’t expecting, especially considering injuries last year kept him from getting into a consistent rhythm for much of the year. Gobert has talked about how the coaching staff and the system offered freedom sometimes required to improve:

As a rookie last year, Gobert made 45 appearances, averaging 2.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and roughly one block in nine minutes a game. This time around, Gobert says he’s packed on about 10 pounds, and he feels more comfortable and confident on the floor.”It’s totally different,” Gobert said. “I feel way better. My game, my confidence. I feel way better.” Part of that is experience and part of that is the team’s new coaching staff. Gobert, as was the case with Trey Burke and Dante Exum earlier this week, lauded the freedom allowed in new coach Quin Snyder’s offense.” I think I will be better because I play with less pressure,” Gobert said. “I just play. For every player, freedom is always better. … I was a little bit under pressure [last season] and I was a rookie so that was even harder.”

“The coaches here are amazing,” he told Basketball Insiders. “They give you a lot of confidence. Here, Coach [Snyder], he’ll come to you… it’s just a different type of coaching. More player-friendly, for sure.”

But what has been really interesting to watch is the transformation in Gordon Hayward’s game and efficiency under Quin Snyder. Part of development is making sure to highlight a player’s strengths, while providing the training to develop skills that will round out the player’s game.

Data from B-Ref

Look at the jump in PER, TS%, FTr, and decrease in TV% all while his Usage Rate went up—it’s remarkable!

Communication: A

I talked about this last time, but I have been so impressed with Quin Snyder and the way in which he talks about his players, and the way in which he handles questions from the media. His answers are thoughtful and often quite comprehensive, without being sarcastic or condescending to reporters and fans. There are two aspects of communication that are so vital for coaches: communication with the players, but also communication with the media, and that communication with the media and fans helps create a culture that players want to be a part of. When you as a player know that your coach has your back, it can have a powerful effect on how you relate with and play for that coach.

More categories for next time, including in-game substitutions, timeouts and, of course, hair/stare/glare . . . But for now, what do you think, Jazz fans? How would you grade Quin Snyder in these areas?

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Laura Thompson

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

Several years back, Dan Clayton kept talking about the book Mindset on the Twitters. Intrigued, I ordered it off Amazon and read it within a couple weeks; I still pick it up often and refer to it quite a bit. Quin Snyder, by my outsider’s estimation, believes in and implements the principles of the book.

For those new to the concept of Mindset, there are two mindsets at opposite ends of the spectrum: Fixed and Growth. In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like intelligence and talent, are fixed, inherent traits. They believe success is created exclusively by talent. In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. People embrace challenges and implement different strategies in order to drive learning and results, especially after failure.

Discussing legendary UCLA coach John Wooden—who famously said that John Stockton was the only NBA player he’d pay to watch play—Dr. Carol Dweck states:

Wooden is not complicated. He’s wise and interesting, but not complicated. He’s just a straight-ahead growth-mindset guy who lives by this rule: “You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better.”

He didn’t ask for mistake-free games. He didn’t demand that his players never lose. He asked for full preparation and full effort from them. “Did I win? Did I lose? Those are the wrong questions. The correct question is: Did I make my best effort? If so, he says, “You may be outscored but you will never lose.”

He was not a softy. He did not tolerate coasting. If the players were coasting during practice, he turned out the lights and left: “Gentlemen, practice is over.” They had lost their opportunity to become better that day.

This isn’t to say that effort is the only goal of a basketball game; obviously, the result—winning—is also vitally important. But Quin Snyder is part of an organization that is committed (finally!) to player development, and Snyder and GM Dennis Lindsey are playing the long game here: with consistent, sustained effort and with effective strategies, these players will get better.

And, as Snyder has shown in the past, he’s a willing teacher. He will pull a player out of the game, talk to him on the sideline, and immediately put him back in the game to apply what he’s just been taught. This has been a refreshing mode of teaching to watch.

What has been especially interesting to me lately has been how Snyder handles defeat, and how he speaks about his players and their effort in losses. He’s not dismissive of his players, simply saying they need to “get better,” though he does recognize the necessity of that. He discusses their effort and their attitude, while being realistic about the expectations they have, given the injury bug that has bit the team this season. After the 25-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on January 6, Snyder had this to say:

“The last six minutes of the game we continued to play hard. I thought we got something out of it. We have some guys that we’re going to continue to need to improve—guys who don’t get an opportunity to play that much. That’s why they’ve played so well the past three games. That’s why we beat Portland, that’s why we beat Memphis in overtime, because these guys have that attitude. Tonight there was just too much to overcome and I don’t think there’s any shame in that.”

He validated the players for their effort, for playing hard, and said the team “got something out of it,” meaning that it wasn’t just about effort, but the result—though not a win—was still valuable for this still-learning, still-growing team. He continued:

“I would’ve liked to see us be better defensively and make it a little harder, but I think when you look back at it, there’s a lot of things that you may want that maybe aren’t as realistic against the group we just played with. That’s not giving us an out by any means. They played very well too. They made shots and they made it a tough night.”

One of the aspects of Quin’s personality that I, as a fan, appreciate, are his expectations. Trying to live up to unrealistic expectations is a daunting, emotionally wearing task. But when you’re given realistic expectations and the encouragement and strategies to get there, it can be rewarding—even exhilarating. I think Snyder toes that line very well, as evidenced by this quote. He’s admitting that his team can in no way match the Spurs—the Jazz are too injury-depleted and, frankly, not talented enough with four of the six best players in street clothes behind the bench.

Another example. After the close loss to the Rockets, Andy Larsen asked Quin post-game about the non-call as Jeff Withey attempted a dunk.

“I was at the other end of the court. Whatever they called, they called. I don’t think one call was the game, I don’t think one missed jumper was the game or one missed free throw was the game. It’s easy to look for those things, I do it too. We use it to learn and get better. Those are situations we want to work on but in the end, it’s not one thing. I don’t think it helps us get better to fixate on anything. And this group right now, I mean those are the Houston Rockets, they just went to the Western Conference Finals. [Dwight] Howard’s an All-Star. Jeff Withey was inactive earlier in the year. Jeff Withey played his tail off and that’s where my focus is. Rodney Hood just had a baby yesterday. He’s going against James Harden. The guy’s arguably the MVP last year. I’m so proud of this team the way they fight. So if we make a mistake here and there and struggle for a stretch, I’m not going to go there. We beat Memphis last game. We may not win for two weeks but if we get better I’m happy and we just use this thing to get better. As tough as it is, we can’t wallow in it. We got to learn from it and get better. That’s what we’re doing, we’re competing.”

This quote by Quin is one that I found very insightful when I read it; when I watched and listened to the same quote, however, I was, frankly, touched. There seems to be a mix of respect and pride in his voice. I love how he recognized Withey’s effort, “played his tail off.” He sounds like a proud father as he discusses his team and “the way they fight.” While watching the video on nba.com, you see the paternal side come out as he discusses that Rodney Hood just became a father. While discussing a basketball game, he highlights the personal, off-the-court aspect that can contribute to play on the court. He understands the reality of “a mistake here and there” and the struggle, allowing for failure. As long as the effort and improvement is there, he feels good about the direction.

Snyder has a humility and a grace with which he answers questions that is refreshing, instructive, and insightful. Somehow, Quin was able to use the phrase “get better” several times within that quote there, but without it creating a nails-on-a-chalkboard effect. He didn’t just say the team needed to “get better” and leave it at that: he understands that the struggle and the failure and the attempt is the heroic part of the effort required in order to get better, and he allows for that with his players.

Reviewing the book, Mindset, and looking for its principles within Quin Snyder’s post-game remarks has been a very interesting study. I’m confident we’ll see more examples over the next few years of a coach who encourages effort, learning, resiliency, and a willingness to utilize different strategies to achieve better results. It’s going to make for a fun and interesting ride.

Author information

Laura Thompson

Laura was a Jazz fan since diapers, even growing up in California. Her favorite things in life are the Utah Jazz, food (whether cooking or consumption of), reading, church, black Labs, and the beach--though possibly not in that order.

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.

From the moment Dante Exum went to the floor holding his knee with the Australian national team over the summer, the point guard position was going to be a hot topic for the Utah Jazz. Exum’s injury removed one of the pieces that helped make Utah’s lengthy defense such a force down the stretch last season, and worse yet at the position where his combination of size and speed were most unique compared with his peers. The decision from team brass to cut Bryce Cotton and roll forward with just Trey Burke and rookie Raul Neto further ignited speculation.

As debates raged on the merits of these two players and whether they’d be enough to keep the team above water given the immense talent at the 1-spot league wide, another narrative began to build: Why play a traditional point guard all the time anyway? Coach Quin Snyder has long emphasized “positionless basketball,” and while this is more a philosophy than a steadfast rule, the pieces lined up. Several Utah wings are very capable as offensive initiators, and at least a couple have similar (if not necessarily equal) physical tools to a guy like Exum – length, lateral quickness and a willingness to bring intensity on every defensive position.

“I think on some level Dante’s injury was a catalyst for some of that, just because some of the things we can do with that lineup we did with Dante, with his size,” Snyder said. “It’s such an important position. We’ve started rookies the last 3 years at the point — it’s hard to find another team that’s started rookies [even] two years [straight]… So a chance to take a little of that pressure off Raul and Trey is, I think, a good thing.”

Even as Burke has exceeded all realistic expectations to this point, with Neto starting strong and fading quickly, this noise won’t be going anywhere. Based on early returns, in fact, certain variations of the three-wing lineup — which Snyder and the team have come to refer to as “Wing-T,” another on a long list of football references Quin utilizes often — have been among the best on the floor for the Jazz. A miniature leap: There’s a burgeoning argument to be made that it should be the team’s starting lineup.

A big part of that discussion comes down to fit, and the (admittedly limited) evidence we have thus far is nonetheless fairly convincing. The Hayward-Hood-Burks trio has played a total of 69 minutes together in eight games, the most time any three-wing iteration has shared the court for the Jazz by a considerable margin. The contrast between how they’ve performed with a certain set of teammates versus without, though, is incredibly stark. Observe:

If those wildly opposing sets of numbers aren’t enough, consider the general circumstance. As Utah’s starting and finishing big men, Gobert and Favors have opened and closed every game they’ve both played in — meaning a higher percentage of their minutes come against five-man opposing starting units. Further, Snyder has specifically deployed the three-wing with those two in high-leverage situations, including to close multiple games already. All this makes the gigantic success they’ve had as a unit all the more impressive, and more importantly suggests that they’re more than capable of holding their own and then some against top opposition.

Look, no one is denying the samples remain small and open to heavy swings based on opponent and situations. It’s important to consider, though, that the main three-wing group with Favors and Gobert has appeared to succeed in many of the exact ways proponents based their support on from the beginning. They may be confirming a bias to some degree, but it’s a bias that already existed with good reason.

The elements that made this unit theoretically enticing have been the same ones that have fueled its success. The group is right around where lineups featuring Exum instead of the then-injured Burks were defensively last year following the All-Star break, and that includes nearly a quarter of their minutes on the year coming on the road against the high-flying Cavs.

Their ridiculous length has allowed them to accomplish both of Snyder’s primary goals defensively: The wings are quick and smart enough to both contest shots and deny penetration, and when opponents do make it to the interior, they’re doing so via the preferred avenues that allow Favors and Gobert to swallow them up without leaving things open elsewhere. They’ve eaten on the glass, grabbing over 55 percent of all missed shots on both ends. They’ve even managed that suffocating defensive figure despite teams shooting over 41 percent from 3 against them, a rate almost certain to drop over time.

“With a bigger lineup, we’re able to switch [defensively]. We did that some last year,” Snyder said. “The most important [thing], frankly, is defense. That helps us.”

It’s been effective on the other end also. We’ve discussed how the Jazz have struggled to generate points on the break, but this unit hasn’t. They’re generating over double the Jazz’s overall per-minute average for transition points scored, while nearly cutting in half the number of per-minute points the team has allowed via transition while they play. They’re creating over triple the number of points off opponent turnovers as they’re allowing. And of course, in true Favors-Gobert fashion, they’re dominating points scored in the paint by roughly a 3:2 margin.

Potential issues with comfort were always a point of concern as well — each of these three wings has spent the vast majority of their career next to a traditional point guard on the floor, and while each are capable as initiators themselves, it’s still an adjustment period. Snyder doesn’t think it’s been much of an issue, though.

“It can be beneficial, it’s just different,” Snyder said. “There are multiple threats on the floor, which makes it harder for defenses to match up on the same level. If there’s a guy that has a matchup advantage, it allows us to take advantage of that… I think we’ve found a good balance.”

Doesn’t all that conform pretty well with what early supporters of the three-wing assumed would be their strengths?

Their overall offensive figure will be impossible to maintain, of course. They won’t keep up a 67-50-91 shooting split, or anywhere close. They’re not drawing quite enough fouls and are taking too many of their own, though many Jazz fans might have a question or two about those making these calls while the sample remains low enough for a few bad ones to impact things heavily. They’re only assisting on 48 percent of each other’s baskets while on the floor together, a bit of a worrying mark and one that’ll have to rise.

A primary point of concern for some has been minutes distribution. How to balance a desire to keep as many above-average players on the court at a time as possible with the need to support the team’s ineffective depth by staggering starters, all while refraining from over-taxing any of the top guys?

“Starting groups always impacts combinations and matchups, and playing time,” Snyder said. “So a decision like that has a manifold impact, so it’s something you look at.”

The task may seem daunting, but it’s really quite doable once you break it down. Here’s a rough sketch of what one half of play could look like rotation-wise:

1st:

Burks-Hood-Hayward-Favors-Gobert – 6 mins

Burke-Burks-Hayward-Booker-Gobert – 2 mins

Burke-Burks-Ingles-Booker-Gobert – 2 mins

Burke-Hood-Ingles-Lyles-Withey/Pleiss – 2 mins

2nd:

Neto-Hood-Ingles-Lyles-Favors – 3 mins

Neto-Hayward-Ingles-Booker-Favors – 2 mins

Burke-Burks-Hayward-Booker-Gobert – 2 mins

Burks-Hood-Hayward-Favors-Gobert – 5 mins

And here’s how a minutes distribution would look given that alignment:

Burks: 17

Hood: 16

Hayward: 17

Favors: 16

Gobert: 17

Burke: 8

Booker: 8

Neto: 5

Lyles: 5

Withey/Pleiss: 2

The specifics can be altered for any number of reasons, be it matchups, fouls, rest, or simply Snyder sticking with a hot hand (or pulling the plug on a cold one). But nothing in there seems too unreasonable, does it? Look carefully: That arrangement would see the Jazz spend just two minutes per half without at least two of their best players on the court together, this while maximizing the minutes the five spend together and keeping them well within a reasonable per-half minutes limit. In fact, there’s enough of a cushion minutes-wise that Snyder could run something like this in the first half of a given game, then tighten things up and lean on his studs even a little more in the second if the situation called for it.

Other three-wing units have been a generally mixed bag, and in many of these cases the sample truly is too small to even make vague conclusions. We’ve seen a bit less small-ball from Snyder than we may have expected after he toyed with it for longer stretches in preseason, though the occasional four-wing unit (or three wings and a point guard) has been spotted. The efficacy of various lower-volume units of this ilk will be situational and depend on large doses of context throughout the year.

It’s becoming tougher and tougher to argue against this primary unit seeing more time, though, and quite possibly anchoring the team from the starting slot. They’re pretty clearly Utah’s five best players, so why keep them apart for longer than necessary if they continue to prove that they’re capable as a unit?

Snyder has considered such a move, but he’s known at this point for considering every option at his disposal — it’s tough to gauge whether it’s a truly legitimate possibility or just one of the thousands of smart basketball things that float through his head on a daily basis. He’s certainly far from ready to look past what Neto and especially Burke have brought, and knows mixing things up would have a trickle-down impact on both.

At some point, though, he might have no choice. The unit has been that good against great opposition, and doesn’t show many signs of slowing down. Keep an eye out for more and more “Wing-T” in short order.

Author information

Ben Dowsett

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.

In the midst of a trying portion of Utah’s preseason, speaking with media ahead of a loss to Oklahoma City that later that night would serve as a jumping off point for maybe his most passionate and impactful monologue since taking over as head coach, Quin Snyder made a simple statement that nonetheless captured much of his approach to this profession — and to everything he does.

“I think in anything, if you’re trying to improve or grow, there has to be room for failure.”

To many, this probably sounds like recycled coach-speak. Platitudes on intangibles like hard work and sacrifice are standard in every pro sport, and it’s easy enough to dismiss anything down those lines as rah-rah jock talk intended only to give the media something to chew on for a few days. With Snyder, though, you have to dig a little deeper.

Talk is cheap, but how many coaches would be so thoroughly comfortable embracing their own words, particularly within just their first few weeks at the highest level in the world for their profession? Snyder’s own predecessor wasn’t, in all honesty.

That’s exactly what he did, though. No one expected a gigantic overnight turnaround when he arrived; a smart fan base understood it would take time. Still, even the most patient supporters were tested. Utah’s 6-19 record in mid-December precisely mirrored that of the previous ugly year, the excitement of an unexpectedly positive preseason and Gordon Hayward’s buzzer-beater over LeBron’s Cavs in early November quickly wearing off. You’d never have known it the way their coach handled the pressure.

“The results may never come the way that we want them to,” he told Salt City Hoops as training camp wound down a year later. The sentiment could have simply been an echo of the dozens of times he made similar statements during the team’s tough run to open his tenure. Snyder was building something from the ground up, embracing the “skip no steps” philosophy that’s become synonymous with the team’s ethos. Jazz fans were introduced to a new approach — process and attention to step-by-step progression stood out above all else.

Things started to click around the new year… and then they really started to click, in a way that very few, even Snyder, could have anticipated. The way the Jazz closed the year would have seemed crazy for a group that lost nine straight and 12 of 13 just a couple months prior. Had Quin’s bunch flipped a switch from laying groundwork to building skyscrapers in such a short time?

“I think execution is part of the process,” he said before listing off the steps. “Knowing what to do; being able to do it; and then being able to do it against competition; and then competition on the highest level. I think that is the process.

“A lot of time’s there’s no way to force that. You can only grow so fast.”

Grow they did, as individuals and collectively. It’s easy to forget that teams this young aren’t just evolving as basketball players — they’re growing up as men. For most in Utah’s locker room, this was their first chance to do so within such a productive culture. All the analytics in the world will forever struggle to account for the sort of self-realization that took place when the puzzle pieces begin to fit.

“To approach something a certain way, and to philosophically understand how you want to do it, gives you the greatest opportunity to see those things happen,” Snyder said.

Personal connections began to foster amid a greater cumulative progression. The dynamic with guys who’d been around in previous years felt newer, fresher. He’s just “Quin” now when most players, especially team veterans, mention him to the press. Things aren’t always hunky dory, of course — Snyder’s lengthy practices when he’s unhappy with the group’s progress are quickly becoming infamous around the team — but the interplay between coach and player is symbiotic.

“There’s just a general relationship that evolves, not just between you and individual players but between you and a team collectively,” Snyder said. “I think they’re accustomed to some of my idiosyncrasies, whether those be some emotional outbursts or reactions to things they think are less important than I do… [They understand] my approach to adversity and trying to be a stabilizing force for them.”

“I think he’s a little more trusting in us,” said Gordon Hayward when describing the flip side of the coin.

Their mettle will be tested here in what might be the franchise’s most important season since Jerry Sloan sat on the bench. Success like what the Jazz accomplished to close last season puts a target on your back while simultaneously raising expectations; the floor looks a lot further away when you’re trying to scrape at the ceiling.

Nothing at either extreme end of the spectrum will pull Snyder from his methodical approach, though. He waxes poetically surprisingly little for a guy more adept at conjuring a shockingly useful metaphor out of thin air than any of the writers who cover him; “You caught me at a point where I’m not ready to psychoanalyze myself,” he laughed when I tried feebly to pry some deep life lessons from his time in Salt Lake City.

His strong statements last week after a loss to the Thunder were just a more forceful way of maintaining what’s been his approach all along. Getting wrapped up in a whirlwind of hype isn’t productive for anyone, even if it’s deserved. Staying grounded, both during successes and failures, is the trick.

His group has mostly been able to do that, but far be it from Snyder to credit some sort of secret sauce only he’s in possession of.

“There’s no magic formula,” he said of the culture he’s helped foster. “There’s a commitment that our players have made that, hopefully, we can continue to build on… I know what we believe in: we want guys that work hard and are unselfish.”

The expectations for the Jazz have grown higher than nearly anyone could have expected when Snyder took the reins. Not only are they receiving the sort of national attention that over-zealous fans seem to covet so badly, they’re so many experts’ “sleeper pick” that a natural backlash has even begun. Is a team even a “sleeper” if everyone is picking them? Has a 30-game stretch created unrealistic expectations for a group without a single core player over 25? Are we all getting way too ahead of ourselves? These are fair concerns, and ones Snyder himself addressed vocally.

Regardless of what he said, though, he’s the most powerful individual counter the Jazz have to that line of thinking. Not on his watch will any of his players rest easy or grow a fat head. He has the tactical chops to weather the inevitable pushback from the rest of the league, and the tenacity to focus his group on every little detail even when things are going well and they’re comfortable.

At a time in NBA history when the importance of coaching is better understood than ever before, the Jazz have their man in Quin Snyder. There’s no telling what another year might bring.

Author information

Ben Dowsett

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.

Tuesday night’s game between the Jazz and Thunder had several notable on-court developments. There were a few big runs, a few silly fouls, some great plays and some clunkers. Those of us on media row proceeded downstairs for coach and team availability with an ample, if not overloaded, amount of material for our respective gamers.

What happened next changed everyone’s plans.

After a couple mostly innocent questions and answers for coach Quin Snyder, perhaps none of us knew we were about to receive the most epic speech most of us had ever heard from Utah’s sophomore bench boss. Asked about Rudy Gobert’s play, Snyder instead had several incredibly candid things to say about his team’s development and their realistic place in today’s NBA.

“The thing about our team is, we’ve got some good players and we’ve got an opportunity to be a good team,” Quin began. “But it’s not like anybody, or our team, has done anything. We’ve played well at times. Our individual players have played well at times. But you’re looking at Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and guys that have a level that… we haven’t touched that.”

That was just the tip of the iceberg. Over a two-and-a-half minute uninterrupted monologue, Snyder laid out in clear and precise terms just how much work his team still had in front of them, using tonight’s elite opponent as a template.

“So for us, it’s, ‘Hey look at what that is, and what those guys are doing — how hard they practice. You see them before the game? How hard they went?’ Those are hungry guys that are All-Stars. And if we want to get to that place, individually, collectively, that’s what you have to do… I think they appreciate the opportunity they have — Kevin Durant was hurt for a year, they lost in the NBA Finals, they know that level… And to me, that’s a team that has an appreciation for how difficult to win it is in this league.”

The insinuation, of course, is that the Jazz still lack such an appreciation. And you know what? He’s right. For all the praise heaped on this franchise following their strong play to close last season, those games amount to zip in the long run. For a group this young, it stands to reason that most in the locker room haven’t yet been around long enough to taste the sort of extreme highs and lows that come with success at the highest level.

“You know that you have to do everything, and sometimes that’s still not enough on a given night unless you get a little lucky,” Snyder said. “We don’t understand that — why would we? We haven’t been in that situation. So to play a team that’s on that level, to me, that’s what you have to do to get there. You have to experience it. You can talk about it all you want until Kevin Durant comes down from three feet behind the line, and you go under on pick-and-roll and he drills a three. And you say, ‘That’s what he does. That’s what he does.'”

From the looks of things, Quin had a similar speech for the players in his own locker room. It was a quiet bunch following Snyder’s availability, with the feel of a group that had just received a stern talking-to. It seemed many shared his sentiment, though.

“Guys like you [media] were hyping us up, and hyped us up all offseason,” said Gordon Hayward. “We really didn’t deserve any of that.”

As a particularly uneven and inconsistent preseason nears its close, perhaps this is exactly what this team — and its fans — need to hear. The Jazz accomplished a lot internally last season, more than most realistic prognosticators could have imagined, but their path to their ultimate goal remains miles longer. Sometimes a raw dose of reality is the best way to remind everyone involved of that.

“It’s not being down on our team, either — it’s just a realistic [assessment],” said Snyder. “I love our team… But that doesn’t mean we’re a good team yet. We were a good team for about two months. And we were a good team when other teams were sometimes resting a player. The competition that we played was always formidable in the league, but we weren’t playing teams that were competing for the playoffs very often. I’m not dampening any enthusiasm, but I am being realistic about who our group is — and that’s what our group needs. We need to be realistic about the level that’s out there, and if we want to reach it, it’s a hard road.”

It’s fitting, then, that a shorter coach’s interview than usual simply ended when Snyder was finished. Others had further questions, but they just didn’t feel appropriate anymore — he’d said everything that could be said. Here’s hoping the guys in his locker room were listening.

A few other notes:

Alec Burks continued his strong preseason run Tuesday, scoring 14 points on just seven shot attempts and once again serving as Utah’s easiest path to a bucket on a night when they were tough to come by. His play on the other end was perhaps even more encouraging, though — Snyder chose to stick Burks on Russell Westbrook for large stretches and place Trey Burke elsewhere, and while Snyder said after the game that Burke and Raul Neto actually did the best job on Russ, Burks held his own and then some. He’s almost certainly the only Jazzman outside perhaps Elijah Millsap who can stay in front of a speed demon like Westbrook well enough to force this sort of turnover:

Transition play, and particularly capitalizing on opponent turnovers, continues to be an issue for the Jazz. Utah forced 21 Thunder turnovers Tuesday night, but only managed 13 points as a result — on the other end of the spectrum, the Thunder forced just 11 Jazz turnovers but managed a gaudy 24 points as a result. This is another area the Jazz can look to the Thunder as an example in, and while Hayward was quick to (correctly) point out that Utah only turning the ball over 11 times is a positive in itself, he also agreed the Jazz need to continue to press their advantages. On several occasions tonight, a Jazz ball-handler would find himself in a one-on-one or two-on-two situation with momentum up the floor, but choose to simply retreat back out above the break and reset the offense. Especially given the way the Jazz have been shooting the ball (badly), they absolutely must push even these marginal advantages in transition to keep their offense afloat.

Speaking of the team’s offense, while they got things going in the later parts of the game and continued their success with smaller lineups, there are still several glaring issues. Shooting is among them — the Jazz are now shooting just 31.4 percent in six preseason games from the 3-point line. A decent percentage of these attempts have been wide open, and the offense is going absolutely nowhere if teams know they don’t have to worry about those shots from nearly anyone on Utah’s roster.

Another concern that seems more immediately fixable, though, is the team’s general focus level offensively. Too often this preseason, and especially Tuesday early in the game, the Jazz just haven’t appeared to be playing very intelligent offense. They’re giving up on possessions with 10 seconds left on the shot clock, devolving into isolation play (even a Gobert post-up Tuesday) at the first sign of trouble. They’re not cognizant enough of switches — several times against the Thunder, Derrick Favors found himself matched up down low against Durant or another Thunder wing, and not once did the Jazz even make an effort to enter the ball to that mismatch. Again, this isn’t a group with much margin for error on this end; it could be a long season if they aren’t able to more effectively maximize every little advantage they might have.

Rudy Gobert has really struggled in the preseason by his standards, never more obviously than Tuesday night’s game. Gobert’s minus-27 on the night stuck out like a sore thumb for a team that didn’t have a single other player in negative double figures, and his play on the court didn’t lessen the impact much. He just doesn’t look quite there — plays where last year’s Gobert would have already been in the air contesting a shot at the rim seem to have turned into plays where he’s a step behind and can’t get off the ground until it’s too late. He’s fumbling the ball offensively and on the glass. It just doesn’t look quite like Rudy. It’s fair to give him some degree of a free pass given the hangover his body is still experiencing from his overseas play this summer, but that line of thinking also begs a question: When will he have a chance to make that disappear? The Jazz could sit Rudy Thursday against Denver, but his recovery days are running pretty low with the season set to begin for Utah in just over a week. It’s no time to panic, but the Jazz will need their franchise center at full strength when things get going for real, and he hasn’t yet looked like he’s ready.

Author information

Ben Dowsett

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.

In a 2015 Finals series that was exhilarating for so many reasons, perhaps most intriguing for the nerds among us was the back-and-forth chess match between coaches. Steve Kerr and David Blatt traded haymakers in the form of tactical one-upmanship, plundering of mismatches, and most noticeably, lineup alterations. In particular, the Warriors’ commitment since Game 4 to ultra-small-ball, with Draymond Green at center and no one taller than his 6’7 on the floor, appeared to change the tide of the series.

The rest of the league has had its eye on this development. The Warriors’ title isn’t a condemnation of bigger teams by any means; unique personnel is what allows them the flexibility to play this way, and duplicating it is no simple task. But it’s certainly another on a growing list of examples of the effect downsizing is having on the game, and on its biggest stage no less. Among league thinkers, there’s no doubting that smaller teams, or at the very least teams with the flexibility to play small when necessary, are trending upward.

The Jazz are budding contenders in their own right, and got there by embracing the other end of the spectrum – Utah plays almost exclusively in two-big lineups, and found their end-of-year success by obliterating opponents defensively and using their size advantage to crash the offensive boards and grind teams down methodically. A starting frontcourt of Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert suggests this will remain their identity for the foreseeable future.

But the league is trending toward versatility and flexibility as much as any particular style, and it begs the question: should the Jazz look to spend more time in smaller lineups?

A look back to the brief periods where Quin Snyder experimented with these one-big units last season gives us a glimpse at some possibilities. Numbers from nbawowy.com show the Jazz played only 144 minutes with one of Favors, Gobert or Trevor Booker on the floor as the only true big – 85 with Gobert, 50 with Favors, and just nine with Booker at the nominal center position. The results with each were quite varied, to say the least.

Favors’ 50 minutes as the lone big were likely the most in line with what expectations would be. Utah’s grind-it-out philosophy mostly went out the window, with the league’s slowest pace disappearing and giving way to a much speedier game. Neither team in these situations could defend worth a lick – the Jazz scored at 118 points per-100 and allowed over 127, both of which would have been easy league-highs.

The Jazz managed that gaudy offensive number despite shooting just 20 percent from 3 and 39 percent overall, suggesting they certainly didn’t lack for offense and good looks with these units. But their rebounding, such a strength overall, went into the tank – their league-best 29 percent rate snagging their own misses was basically cut in half, and they collected only 40 percent of all available boards on both ends, miles below the NBA-worst Mavericks for the year. Favors himself saw a significant dip from his season-long numbers on the glass.

Their interior defense was also much more pedestrian than the wall Jazz fans became accustomed to with two bigs on the floor. Favors-only units allowed the opposition to shoot 65 percent within three feet of the hoop, a figure that would have ranked in the league’s bottom 10.

Contrary to what one might assume given their respective styles, periods the Jazz went small with Gobert were their most generally successful. Utah played opponents to a literal draw in these 85 minutes, scoring 106.8 points per-100-possessions and allowing the exact same figure. And unlike those with Favors operating alone at center, these groups exhibited several more positive long-term signs.

Not only did these Gobert-only groups maintain the team’s vaunted rebounding prowess, they upped it. These lineups as a whole collected nearly 33 percent of their own missed shots, a Cavs-in-the-playoffs type number. Gobert himself was a maniac, topping his own exemplary season-long numbers on the glass. Most of these periods came against opponents who were similarly small, and Rudy feasted on the extra space among the treetops with only one opposing big man to occupy his vertical space:

Small lineups around Gobert at center allowed a paltry 51 percent within three feet of the hoop, a stark contrast to units with Favors. Both were on small samples, but the more telling item here is the frequency with which they were allowed – Derrick’s small groups gave up nearly double the per-minute chances at the rim as Rudy’s while still allowing a much higher efficiency. The Stifle Tower appeared to have few issues as the only line of interior defense, making his usual speedy rotations and terrifying guys at the rim:

These figures don’t simply mean the Jazz can go small around Gobert and not around Favors. Context plays a big role – for instance, a higher percentage of Favors’ minutes in these units came earlier in the season alongside Steve Novak and Trey Burke, where more of Gobert’s came later in the year with Dante Exum and Rodney Hood. The samples aren’t large, and elements like opposing lineup composition and garbage time can have real effects in such limited stretches.

But the Jazz may have something here, especially with Gobert. Four-out lineups with Rudy charging down the lane as the dive man in pick-and-roll sets are potentially lethal if the shooting around them is up to snuff; his role as an alley-oop threat combined with high-IQ passing he flashed with more and more comfort last year makes these sets a natural fit:

Look how much space three Jazz shooters have to operate against only two Suns defenders when Phoenix is forced to send help on a potential Gobert lob:

And when the Pistons look to trap Gordon Hayward up high, half the floor is suddenly wide open for Rodney Hood and Joe Ingles once Gordon is able to thread a pass to Gobert:

Things won’t always be this easy, but the blueprint is there. Favors could be similarly effective, if not more so given his expanded range he showcased last season and his prowess rolling to the hoop. The spacing with these groups has to feel like miles of fresh air for Jazz shooters accustomed to tight spaces in their typical two-big lineups. Units like these could be highly dangerous in short order under Snyder’s motion system, especially if team brass makes a move or two to improve perimeter shooting over the summer.

There’d be concerns on the other end of the floor, particularly as far as which guys take the brunt of the de facto power forward minutes. Hayward is likely best suited overall, but Snyder won’t want him spending too much time banging down low – his usage rate with each of these smaller iterations was off the charts offensively last year, and even increased spacing won’t relieve him of his numerous responsibilities as Utah’s primary creator. Bigger opponents will go out of their way to attack him on the other end.

Ingles spent bits of time in this role last year and did well enough, and whether guys like him and Hood could sustain a few minutes each per game without getting eaten up by bigger guys may determine whether the Jazz can break these lineups out frequently. It’s also possible a draftee like Stanley Johnson could step into such a role should the Jazz go in that direction next week.

None of this is to suggest Utah’s primary identity will change – it won’t. The Jazz found their mojo last season through the Favors-Gobert combo pounding teams into the ground. Booker is already a lite version of small-ball himself, one who actually shot a better percentage from deep last year than Draymond Green, and Snyder may look to juice his spacing without sacrificing as much bulk by having him fire away from 3 more often. The team may choose to draft a shooting big like Frank Kaminsky or Myles Turner if available, which could accomplish some of the same things.

But having these units in your back pocket can’t hurt. They’d offer high-variance options to potentially ignite comebacks in a way bigger groups couldn’t, and the Jazz have the length to go to a very Warriors-like “switch everything” scheme defensively with several combinations. The Jazz will have to face the Golden States of the world sometime if they want to truly contend for titles, and the versatility they’d bring could be huge.

Snyder is content in his team’s identity, but remains a forward thinker. Don’t be surprised if the Jazz bust out some of these smaller lineups more frequently next year.

Author information

Ben Dowsett

Ben Dowsett is a life-long Jazz fan and current in-depth analyst based in Salt Lake City. He also writes for Basketball Insiders and BBallBreakdown, and can be heard on SCH Radio on ESPN 700 weekly. He can be found on Twitter at @Ben_Dowsett.